Several years ago, my family and I went on a trip to Egypt. Now, I was only seven years old that time, so I can only vaguely recall what happened when we were there, but I do remember being really amazed by the rich and spectacular culture and history of the country. Through photos I can call to mind some memories of the trip, like seeing the iconic landmarks, visiting museums and riding a camel.

But the one thing I can remember without the aid of pictures, were of my classmate's reaction when I told them about the trip. We went there during the semestral break so when I got back to school I was eager to tell my fellow first-graders about the whole thing, how cool Egypt was. Their reaction? “Ew you went to Egypt? Isn't it just all desert there?” to which I responded “No, it’s not! They have civilization there!”

So why am I telling you this? Well, the reason is not to brag about seven-year-old me knowing the word ‘civilization’ but to point out the fact that many of us, first-grade or otherwise, only know Egypt at a stereotypical level—as a desert with triangular structures in the middle. Much like the rest of Africa, where Egypt is, and the non-white world, we only see Egypt in the Western perspective. And that sucks because there’s a whole other side to the country (and MANY other countries) that we fail to see, because we've been brainwashed to see it in the way popular Western media wants us to see it.

You may be wondering, “Why the f— should I care?! I’m not even Egyptian!” Well see the thing is, Egypt has contributed so much to the world that reducing it to a stereotype is just plain offensive. And it’s horrendous how badly misrepresented Egypt is in Western media.

For example, white-washing. Most Hollywood movies depicting Egyptian culture and history have casts that are, well, NOT Egyptian. I don't know why these big-shot directors and producers could even think that they can get away with a white person playing an Egyptian just by putting fancy graphic eyeliner on them. Remember: EGYPT IS IN AFRICA. So why are there hardly any Africans, much less actual Egyptians, in these films? (Not to mention many have multiple historical inaccuracies)

Cleopatra (1963)

Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014)

Not only is there white-washing in movies, but there are also the instances of cultural appropriation, especially in pop music, which mocked and reduced the Egyptian culture into a mere caricature of it, like a ridiculous and racist costume.

"Walk Like an Egyptian" dance (from the Bangles song of the same name)

Katy Perry's "Dark Horse" music video

These are just a few reasons why to a lot of people think Egypt is stuck in the ancient world with pharaohs and mummies and nothing more to it. Though their history is wonderful and long and important in the formation of human civilization as we know it, it's important to know that they have changed a lot since those times--while still retaining the richness of their heritage. I think we should learn to respect that and actually get to know about it, instead of believing in the wildly inaccurate portrayal shown by the media.